


And Then You Survive

by icandrawamoth



Series: Fic Advent 2017 [20]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Advent Calendar, Advent Challenge, Advent Challenge 2017, Christmas Music, Dancing, Finn Rey and Rose all like each other - kill the love triangle with fire, Gen, Hope, Hopeful Ending, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Protective Finn, Slow Dancing, Star Wars: The Last Jedi Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-21 20:43:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13151679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icandrawamoth/pseuds/icandrawamoth
Summary: Still reeling from the events on Crait, the remains of the Resistance take a moment to enjoy being alive.





	And Then You Survive

**Author's Note:**

> For my final square of the Advent Challenge bingo card: "office party." Yep, I interpreted it rather loosely.

The mood in the Millennium Falcon is black. Despite General Organa's speech, her rousing promises that they have all they need to continue their cause, the few survivors who made it off Crait are reeling. They've all lost friends and family. They're all looking at hard road ahead, challenges even more seemingly insurmountable than they've ever faced before. They have hope, yes, but they're not invincible. They hurt, and it hangs over every one of them like a cloud.

Finn still hasn't left Rose's side. With Poe and Rey safe beside him, he's concentrating all his worry on her. She was injured saving him, and that weighs heavy on his mind. She'd said she loved him, too, before she succumbed, and he's still reeling from that as well. He doesn't know if he can return her feelings, but he knows he wants to talk to her, needs to. He can't let himself imagine what will happen if she never wakes up. Doctor Kalonia had stopped by as soon as she could to look Rose over, but there's not much she could do other make her comfortable before they hopefully end up somewhere with some actual medical resources.

As Finn perches on the edge of the bunk, Rey sits beside him on the floor with her back against it, shifting the broken halves of her lightsaber back and forth in her hand. Her face is creased in thought, and Finn can't even begin to imagine the burden she must feel as the last remaining Jedi. Next to her is Poe, his face equally lost in thought. He looks more tired than anything, and Finn wishes there were another, larger bunk to drag them all into, let them all his friends just cuddle up and rest for awhile.

Suddenly, there's a sound coming from down the hall in the direction of the cockpit, perhaps the last thing Finn would have expect to hear: music. Beside him, Rey perks up a little, tilting her head to hear better. “Life Day carols?” she asks aloud, sounding just as surprised.

Poe nods silently as he looks up as well, Resistance officers across the cabin where they've found places of refuge doing the same, bleary-eyed and broken. Then Leia is appearing in the doorway, a gentle smile on her face that somehow goes a long way toward putting Poe's heart at ease.

“Han always pretended he didn't keep this tape around,” she says, her head moving gently with the music. “Every time I brought it up, he would swear he was going to get rid of it, but he kept it around because it made us happy.” Her gaze dims just a little as she surveys her followers, going bittersweet. “Don't give up hope, my friends. We have this moment, and the next, and we'll keep going until we win or we can't anymore.”

Heads nod quietly, still solemn, and then Poe is standing, striding over to Leia and holding out a hand. “May I have this dance, General?” he asks, and his smile is only a little forced, a remarkable facsimile of his usual roguish charm.

“Of course, Commander,” she says, and lets him lead her to the center of the area. Finn watches as they settle into a dancing pose and start swaying to the music. The other soldiers and techs and officers around the cabin look at each other before seemingly deciding to follow their general's lead and pairing off to join in the impromptu levity.

Finn lets himself watch for another long moment, content to see everyone feeling even a little better, before he turns back to Rose. She's still out cold, dark bruises standing stark on unusually pale face, but she's breathing evenly and deeply, which has to be a good thing.

“Finn.”

It's Rey standing at his shoulder, favoring him with a soft smile. “She's all right?”

“I think so,” he says without looking up. “It's hard to say...”

Rey's hand lands on his back. “She's strong,” she tells him. “I can feel her through the Force. I think she's going to pull through okay.”

“Can you really tell that?” He looks up, trying to keep what feels dangerously like vain hope from his expression and failing.

Rey falters just a little. “Well, I'm not as attuned as Master Skywalker...was, but I think so. And after what you've told me about her, she's definitely not going to go down without a fight.” She smiles, and Finn finds himself echoing it, grateful for the reassurance.

“Yeah. That's certainly right.”

Rey's hand slips down his shoulder and takes his hand. “She's not going to wake up for awhile. I heard the doctor tell you that. Come over here with us, just for a bit.”

Finn bites his lip as he looks at Rose's face. She seems so vulnerable. “I shouldn't leave her.”

“Then don't,” Rey decides. “We'll stay right here.” She tugs on his arm, and, still a little confused, he allows her to pull him to her feet. She turns them so they're face to face but he can still easily see Rose. “Like that.” She smiles at him again, eyes twinkling brightly, as she puts her free hand on his arm and keeps the other clasped with his. “I've never actually done this before,” she admits as she starts to sway back and forth, not even moving her feet.

“Me, either,” Finn says. “I've never even seen holos or anything.” He looks at what the others are doing, looks at what Rey is doing, and tries to copy them. It probably can't quite be called a dance, but together they make it work. “Do you think it's wrong to be doing this now?” he wonders aloud. “Practically having a party after everything that's happened?”

Rey considers for a long moment before answering, “I think we're all happy to be alive. Of course we're hurting, but that's one of the things that lets us know we've survived. And if we don't celebrate being alive, celebrate that love we're fighting so hard for, what's the point?”

Finn doesn't answer aloud, just lets himself relax into the pseudo-dance, because he likes the sound of that. Just then, the music changes, a new, faster song replacing the last one, and Rey actually lets out a giggle as she moves to match the new tempo, swinging her hips to and fro in a way that looks honestly silly but absolutely joyful. Again, Finn copies her, and the two of them laugh together.

“Finn?”

“Rose!” In an instant, he's back at her side, Rey right there with him. “Hey. You're awake.”

She blinks up at them, focusing on one face, then the other. “Life Day songs?” she asks, clearly confused. She winces, staring at Finn. “If I didn't hurt so much, I'd ask if this was heaven.”

“I think it'll be best if you stay still,” Rey tells her. She reaches out, gently brushes a lock of hair back from Rose's face. “I can try and and help with some of the pain...” Her hand rests on Rose's hair as she closes her eyes in concentration.

Rose looks about to ask a question, then her eyes widen even as some of the hurt seems to leave her eyes. “This is Rey,” she gasps. “Oh my gosh.” The Jedi's lips quirk towards a smile.

“That's right.” Finn finds Rose's hand beneath the blanket and gently takes hold of it. “We made if off Crait on the Millennium Falcon. Leia's the one who put the carols on. We're...celebrating that we survived.”

“We survived...” Rose makes to rise and look around, but Rey clucks and gently eases her back down. Rose's eyes find Finn's again, filled with concern. “How many?”

“Not many,” he admits, but his voice firms as he adds, “but enough to keep going.”


End file.
